No 5
by ss9
Summary: No 5 from the missing scene's series.


Missing Scene Episode 3:

"You are too kind Mrs Ryan they take advantage." Andrew Adams muttered knowingly as his gaze shifted to the table and the innocent looking flower that lay on the desktop.

His wasn't the only gaze that was drawn to it as the housekeeper reached for her gloves, the butler's eyes had been drawn there too and as if by some magnetic pull Flora's gaze followed his, horror dawning on her face as the now stoney faced butler glanced up at her before yelling.

"Esther Spicer get your stinking bones back here…"

Reaching for the mantelpiece for support Flora had to endure the full force of his disapproval as he made his way back into the room, dismissing the under butler Mr Adams with a barely civil nod as the sobbing maid crept back into the room.

"So Miss it was you!"

"Oh Mr Jarvis honestly it wasn't." Esther pleaded turning to gaze at the butler and ignoring the housekeeper's gasp of astonishment. "I just said that to Mrs Ryan because she said she'd sack me if I didn't confess but I really didn't do it honestly!"

"Honest!" Jarvis spat her. "You wouldn't know honesty if it came up and bit you! You lied to avoid the sack, which I assure you is now impossible, and now you change your story once more. So tell me Miss why should I believe a word you utter?"

"Oh but Mr Jarvis!"

"Silence Miss Spicer…Go pack your things and leave this instant, I will not have such wanton deception under my roof and you can forget any wages or any word of character…Now get out of my sight…"

"Mrs Ryan?" Esther tried one last time turning to plead with the ashen faced housekeeper. "Please Mrs Ryan…"

"Go." Was all the housekeeper could muster, stepping back from the begging girl. "Just go."

Shaking Esther stepped out into the hallway her eyes red from crying and a foul expression creasing her face. "Fine I don't need you…I don't need anything from you, what are you anyway just a pair of jumped up skivvies…Perhaps Frank had a point Lackies all and for what to end up a old maid and an anal old fart…."

Clenching his fists the butler had to resist the very real urge to slap her hard across the face, but he had vowed never to strike a woman and that was something that not even the odious Esther Spicer could force him to do. "Leave now." He hissed slamming the door in the girls face before whirling round to face his insubordinate housekeeper.

"I…" Flora began but on seeing his thunderous expression her voice failed her.

"You what Mrs Ryan? Perhaps you were going to apologise, but for what since you obviously did not agree with my decision to dismiss whoever was responsible?"

"I did agree." Flora muttered unhappily.

"Really I believe we have seen evidence to the contrary here…Oh did that conviction only stand if it were one of my men or one of the lesser house servants and not one of your faultless young ladies?" Jarvis retorted sarcastically. "So perhaps you should tell me now what I should do? The thief is caught but now I am faced with an insubordinate housekeeper, for that is what it was, was it not? You directly countermanded one of my instructions, you were going to make me out a fool in my own household?"

"No Never!" Flora insisted her eyes wide and pleading. "You know I would never do something like that, I respect you to much to deliberately set out to undermine you…It was just she was one of my girls, I am responsible for her like all the others and I just couldn't…"

"Mr Adams is correct then, you are too soft, too kind and they do tae advantage Mrs Ryan. You heard the Spicer girl, that old maid comment was what she really thought of you and yet you let them wrap you round their little fingers." Jarvis cut in but the edge of real malice was missing from his tone as he glanced through the windows into the courtyard. "Well we haven't time to deal with this now, the cortege is assembled and we must be off…The sooner this whole mess is over and done with the better!" He added turning and striding off down the corridor without so much as giving her a second glance much less offering her his arm as he was oft to do.

Fighting back her tears Flora made her way into to her medicine bow, fumbling for the bottle of laudanum and taking a deep sip. He was right she had failed him, if only there was some way to make amends to apologise there must be something she could say to make him understand that it was not out of disloyalty to him that she had acted so foolishly. However before something could come to her Grace May's voice echoed through the room…

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End file.
